


Kitten Play

by aspiringenjolras



Series: The Nine Lives of Broadway Jellicles [6]
Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats - T. S. Eliot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2016-11-02
Packaged: 2018-08-28 17:49:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8455987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aspiringenjolras/pseuds/aspiringenjolras
Summary: Skimble gets slightly too worked up over some kitten antics during the Ball. Old Deuteronomy confronts him about it.





	

The Ball had to be perfect. It only happened once a year, Skimble reasoned, and that meant not a paw could step out of line. As they danced, raising their souls to the sky, Skimble caught sight of a number of kittens fooling around in a corner of the Junkyard. He tapped Jenny on the shoulder, pointing in the direction of the disruption. They stalked over to the kittens, who only laughed and scattered, unbothered by the older cats. 

As they walked by, Old Deuteronomy stopped Skimble. Jenny ran back up the tire to join Jellylorum, not noticing that her mate had fallen behind. 

“Skimble,” the Jellicle leader said calmly, placing his paws on either side of the railway cat’s head to steady him and look him in the eye. “Relax. You don’t need to get so worked up.”

“But they—”

“They’re kittens. We’re celebrating. Let them have their fun.” Old Deuteronomy smiled fondly. “Don’t you remember being young?” Skimble was silent. “Go take a few minutes to cool off before rejoining the festivities. I mean it.”

Skimble wanted to argue, but he found he couldn’t. Instead, he nodded and slunk away into a corner, where he sat and watched the dancing, feeling much like the kittens he had just scolded. Munkustrap caught his eye and peered down at him.

“Hey Skimble! You alright?” 

“Hm? Yeah. Just relaxing a bit.” It was a lie, but he didn’t want to tell the protector that he’d been chastised by his father.

“Oh. Okay.”  Munkustrap wandered off, leaving Skimble alone. 

_ Don’t you remember being young? _

_ No. No I don’t. Seems so long ago. My children make me feel old. And for that matter so does  _ your _ son…  _ Spotting Jenny beckoning to him from the tire, Skimble shook the intruding thoughts of Tugger from his head and ran off to join his mate.   
  


**Author's Note:**

> This is a thing that happens on stage, as are all these stories. It hurts my heart a lot.


End file.
